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Tuesday, 29 May 1453

Constantinople has been defeated!
It has been over a month and a half since we first heard about Mehmed’s siege on Constantinople. We all watched Mehmed II take control over the Ottoman Empire at the age of 19. Due to his young age he was expected to be an incapable ruler and a minor threat to the world. But today he proved everybody wrong. We now know that ever since he first ascended the throne he devoted all of his time to strengthening the Ottoman Navy and was already making preparations for taking Constantinople.
The siege began on April 6th, 1453. His army was made up of about 80,000 to 200,00 troops and a navy of 320 ships.
His incredible military tactics dumbfounded everyone.
As we all know there is a chain across the golden horn between the Bosporus Strait and the Sea of Marmara that prohibits ships from passing through. This proved to be a major obstacle that was almost impossible to overcome. But Mehmed surprised us all by constructing an attack plan, different then any other that we’ve ever seen before.
His army dragged 70 ships over a hill on greased runners from the Bosporus to the harbor. Parts of his troops were already attacking Constantinople from the other side, but now his army was attacking the city from both sides.
Constantinople held out for seven entire weeks but it had no chance against the mighty Ottoman commander and his army that was mostly made up of fierce and loyal only to the sultan janissaries.
Today Mehmed who is now known as “Mehmed the Conqueror” changed history forever.
Constantinople is now called Istanbul, the Ottoman Empire’s new capital.

Elu-riik

What exactly is utopia and how can we achieve it? These are the two most frequently asked questions throughout history. How can we possibly achieve a peaceful community where everyone works together for the benefit of all? Well I personally think that it’s impossible. Even though mankind always strives for perfection, we will always have different types of people with different ideas and different views. That’s where all the conflict comes from. It’s up to impossible to try and make people think the same and do the same.

If I could make my own utopia it would not be open to all. To become a member one should prove that they’re willing to become a part of my newly established community and demonstrate their ability to follow the rules, work hard and live peacefully without causing anyone any harm. There is a limited number of people that can join so before being accepted to the Elu-riik Community, people will have to pass a few basic newly developed tests, which are designed to prove that you are a reasonable person and test your subconscious intensions. There are only about 300 places available. Also, once you join the community, you can’t leave and come back. If for any reason one should leave the community, he or she will not be permitted to return.

There would be a complete equality of the sexes. Women and men will have the same exact rights and opportunities in everything. Children will all live in their families and have to regularly attend school. The elderly will be given little tasks such as watering the plants for everyone but once they get to a stage where they can no longer provide service for the community, they are permitted to just sit back and relax. Also, mentally challenged or disabled people cannot join the community, but if one of the already present citizens or someone in the generations to come gets ill, then they will be provided will shelter and all necessary care for free.

My utopia will be democratic. People have a say in everything and every decision is done by voting. There wont be one specific leader, a group of seven people will be appointed in charge and will have equal rights. All citizens have to follow the decision made by The Elders, but have a right to speak their mind when they don’t agree. In the beginning, founders of the community will be in charge of the government. But slowly, over time elections could be made and different people could be appointed to the governmental positions, this will be done by a fair voting. All citizens will have a right to appoint anyone for any possible position. Wars are banned. Any attempt to cause trouble on a bigger scale will result in all participants being banished from the community.

Elu-riik will not have many laws, but the once that are written on the wall of the main street, by the Governmental Building are mandatory. If anyone breaks even one rule, they get kicked out and will never be able to return. The rules are:
You shall not commit murder
You shall not steal
You shall always live at peace
Uniqueness is accepted
You shall not be racist towards anyone or anything

Trade will be a major part of the whole community. There won’t be any money. There will be a barter system instead. Food will be free so anything else could be traded.

Elu-riik will be located in the isolated part of the amazon, where the modern world is unable to affect the community in any way. It will be a rural area where people will live in bungalows provided by the government. All bungalows will have a similar structure; the only difference is their size. Bigger families will have more bedrooms, but that’s the only distinction. Also, once people move in they will be permitted to arrange everything in their land the way they want it, they can paint the house, build more rooms but only with your own hands. All extra things will have to be made by the people living in that particular house.
Uniqueness is acknowledged and allowed. New designs and ideas are always welcomed.

Children will be required to attend school from the age of 6 and are obliged to pass all 12 grades before deciding their career. After graduating they will be educated on a career of their choice for two years. Each school will teach basic classes like history, English, and math. But if there is interest in any other subjects like photography, psychology..etc. the only thing that the students should do is find enough people that want to join that class (about 10 will be enough) and a teacher that is willing to teach it. There will be classes for mentally ill if necessary, and they will be taught by a specialized teacher with at least 5 years of education in that area. There will be all kinds of different jobs available and as long as you have a job with which you somehow contribute to the community as a whole then you will be allowed to stay and use all the free privileges that people in the community get like free education, free, food, free healthcare..etc. No one gets payed for their jobs but its their chance to stay so people should choose what they love so they can enjoy it. Everyone is obligated to work with no exceptions.

The government will provide medical care. It will be free to all. A group of scientist along with doctors will be continuously working on new natural remedies and treatments that will be acquired by studying the nature around them. Nature will be used to our advantage. Everything will be created naturally and be tested in a designated lab area.

When my utopia gets enough people, they will all be educated on the surrounding and its inhabitants. They will be taught what insects to avoid, what plants are edible..etc. Environment will be a big part of the community. Fishing, hunting, planting, will all be major resources. Wood will be used for buildings. Sun panels and windmills will be the sources of energy and electricity. But all citizens should use a reasonable amount of natural resources. They should have an understanding of how to protect nature and live in an environment without destroying it.

Elu-riiks will get around the community by walking, biking, or using the sun powered golf carts during the day. Each family gets 2-3 carts depending on the number of people in the family. All transportation will be provided by the government.

The citizens are allowed to do anything they want in their leisure time. The government is leaving it up to them to decide what they want to do Healthy living and sports are recommended. The community will consist of huge football fields, basketball courts, volleyball courts, swimming pools..etc. All provided by the government.

In conclusion, I still think that creating a perfect world where everyone works together is impossible. There will always be factors like jealousy, hatred, anger, love, or religion, which will interfere with our desire to create a utopia. If my utopia was real, I doubt that many human beings will like to join; no one will like the work with no pay system, but all the free things will actually interest many people.

brunelleschi's dome video (((:

Brunelleschi's Dome

During the Renaissance period Italian architects tried to replace the style of Gothic architecture with simpler geometry and balanced proportions. Brunelleschi’s dome is a perfect example of that.
Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, also known as Duomo is the largest stone dome ever built. It was built by Filippo Brunelleschi, a genius in architecture during the renaissance. He accomplished what many thought was impossible.

In 1296, The Florentines began to build a cathedral, designing it with space for a huge dome but they later realized that no one could create a dome this size because it was practically impossible.

As Brunelleschi began work on the dome people often considered him as crazy or insane because people believed that his bold ideas would either kill all of his workers in the process or the dome would just collapse. They began construction in the 12th century, and main construction ended in the early 14th century.

Brunelleschi's solutions for the dome were original, groundbreaking and costly. But even today Brunelleschi's Dome is the tallest building in Florence, over 600 years after it was built.

I chose this work of art because I’m just amazed at how brilliant Filippo was. His ideas inspired future architects and were complete new concepts for the renaissance; some say that the dome marked the beginning of the renaissance era. I personally admire him for his unique style and intelligence. Because of his amazing ideas, he constructed something impossible for that time and thus marked a new beginning of architecture.

Facts:

• The dome remained the largest dome in the world until modern materials permitted the construction of stadium-sized domes such as the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
• To get to the top you have to go up 463 steps

Sources:
"How Many Steps Are There in Florence’s Duomo?" TuscanyArts TuscanyArts." Turismo E Vacanze in Toscana: Sito Ufficiale Della Regione Toscana. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. http://www.turismo.intoscana.it/allthingstuscany/tuscanyarts/how-many-steps-florence-brunelleschi-duomo/

Florence Cathedral - Brunelleschi's Dome. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. .<.">http://www.brunelleschisdome.com/>.

Villager.

I still remember that day, the day when all of our lives changed forever. Even now with my life draning out of me I can clearly recall sitting on the porch of the house that I had just built with my own hands, my own house.

That winter day was surprisingly warm and sunny. The village children were all happily playing outside. When suddenly I heard people screaming.--“Oh god! They are here” was what everyone was saying. “The legends were true” panic was rising upon the village. I was really confused. What is happening? What is all this fuss about? I tried to stop a few people and ask what’s wrong but I was ignored, they were all rushing somewhere.

I decided to follow and see what the huge crowd ahead of me was looking at. I tried to get through, to at least take a peak when I saw them….

I felt sick to my stomach, I looked down again, a huge army with a complete ensemble of a helmets, shields, chainmail shirts, swords, and axes was approaching the mountain where our village sad atop. They weren’t the normal soldiers that sometimes wandered into our vast woods which are isolated from the rest of Spain. They were huge men who looked ruthless, but in a more barbaric way.

People started running in terror, trying to get away. But it was useless there was only one way out from our village and that’s right towards these barbarians.
Everything else was a blur; I tried to get to my family, while all around me people were being slaughtered. I was climbing a rock when suddenly my hand slipped and everything went black.

I woke up in a cave, tried to get out but a huge rock that fell along with me blocked the way out.

I have been sitting here ever since, for 6 days without any food and just a flagon of water. I feel like a fool, instead of dying an honorable death defending my family, I’m stuck in this ridiculous situation. By now I have no hope that anyone in the village is alive. I’ve heard the screams, the pain and the tortures. It was devastating to listen to it all without being able to help.

My family, my wife who I loved more than life itself and my daughter were probably all brutally murdered.

I decided to write it all down, to leave something behind because I don’t think I’ll make it any further.

People have to know what happened.

I don’t want to be forgotten

9/11

How can certain people be so cruel and cold-hearted that they would kill thousands of innocent people? People that just woke up on a normal day and went to work. Doctors, teachers, businessmen, children, wives. No one was spared on the bright and sunny morning of September 11, 2001.

19 terrorists took over four airplanes. Two of the planes loaded passengers were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The buildings burst into flame and then collapsed, killing thousands. The third plane smashed into the Pentagon. The fourth airplane was apparently supposed to hit another target in the Washington D.C, but passengers on the plane realized what was happening and fought back. This airplane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

This devastating event which killed three thousand people had both a positive and a negative effect. It certainly was a horrific and tragic incident, and the lives that were taken away will never return but it also changed the way the world organized their airlines and security in general. These security procedures have actually prevented other terroristic attempts and therefore saved many more lives around the globe.

Have the Muslim-Christian relationships improved in these 10 years? I would say yes, they had gradually improved. Some of the Muslim leaders spoke out against terrorism and they have been making efforts to get along.

What I find even more horrific is that right after 9/11 America attacks Iraq and Afghanistan and with that killing 6 thousand American troops and many more local civilians! That’s double the amount of people who died during the 9/11. Instead of trying to recover and rebuilt the country they spent 1.2 trillion dollars on the attacks. “These are unforgivable wastes of lives and money.”

For some 9/11 was a life changing experience, they realized how precious life is and that we should cherish every moment. For others it was the time of grief for the lost lives. And some decided that what they needed is revenge…..

No matter what happens though 9/11 will never be forgotten, and the people who tragically died will always be in our hearts.

A survivor said: “When my kids asked me to go to an activity, I usually said no, because I had to work, even in the evenings and on weekends,” he said. “Now, I’m wherever my kids need me to be. That’s what’s important. God sent me a message that day. It was time to be less concerned with materialism and take time to study, learn, and perform mitzvas. There is darkness in the world, but if you add a little light, the darkness will run away. And I realize nothing was a coincidence on 9/11. It was the hand of God.”

Reference : http://njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/070308/moSurvivorOf911.html
Encyclopedia Encarta
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2011-09-08/Column-911-lessons-learned-and-still-not-learned/50327092/1

Do you agree that the Middle Ages should be referred to as the Dark Ages?

I strongly agree that The Middle Ages should be referred to
as dark ages because these thousand years were the most brutal and barbaric
times in history of mankind. Science, Arts and technology weren’t developing.
People were too afraid for their lives, their only concern was to stay alive
and have enough food to feed their families and not develop new things and
ideas. They were not properly educated, they were all ignorant. The church controlled
everything and everyone. “The Middle Ages were the golden age of torture
techniques and devices that inflicted horrible pain.” People were falsely
accused of various crimes, but were made to commit to them due to the different
torture methods that were invented during these times. Diseases were also
common, millions of people died from them. If it weren’t for the Dark ages
humankind would have been more advanced and developed in terms of technology
and science.

Quote used : http://www.oddee.com/item_96596.aspx